The present invention relates to a motor control device and a drive system for reducing a harmonic loss.

A reduction in various losses is desired in a motor drive system according to PWM control using an inverter. Losses are divided into a loss generated in a motor (hereinafter referred to a motor loss) and a loss generated in an inverter (hereinafter referred to as an inverter loss). Examples of the motor loss include a loss resulting from a fundamental wave component (hereinafter a fundamental loss) and a loss resulting from a harmonic element (hereinafter a harmonic loss). Examples of the inverter loss include a loss resulting from ON/OFF operation of a switching element (hereinafter switching loss) and a loss generated during conduction of the switching element (hereinafter a conduction loss).

The fundamental loss is reduced by adopting variable speed drive by the inverter when compared to constant speed drive by a commercial power supply. However, a voltage/current is distorted by switching operation, and a harmonic element is generated. Thus, a harmonic loss increases. The harmonic element and the harmonic loss may be reduced by improving a carrier frequency of the inverter. However, at the same time, the switching loss increases. Thus, it is desirable to reduce the harmonic loss while keeping the carrier frequency fixed. In particular, it has been known that the harmonic element and the harmonic loss remarkably increase in overmodulation drive of asynchronous PWM control, and a reduction thereof is desired.

In Patent Document 1, in overmodulation drive of asynchronous PWM control, in order to reduce the harmonic element, an upper limit K_Hmax of modulation is set, and a signal wave is corrected such that the modulation is smaller than the upper limit K_Hmax.

In this way, an effective value of the harmonic element is reduced, and the harmonic loss is reduced.

WO 2011/135695 A1 discloses a power conversion device for a motor with a sine wave PWM control mode, the system having a signal wave generator, a carrier wave generator, a PWM generator and an inverter.

JP 2007 143316 A discloses a motor controller for reducing low frequency distortion components of PWM output voltages by correcting the modulation rates of voltages.

JP 5 615468 B1 discloses a power conversion device for convering three-phase AC power into DC power by two-arm PWM modulation control.

Patent Document 1: JP 2007-143316 A

However, problems of Patent Document 1 are (1) a range of an inverter output is restricted since an upper limit of modulation is set, and (2) frequency dependence of a harmonic loss is not considered, and the harmonic loss may not be sufficiently reduced. The frequency dependence of the harmonic loss means that a generation amount of the harmonic loss depends not only on a harmonic effective value but also on a frequency. In other words, the harmonic loss may not be reduced merely by reducing the harmonic effective value. A frequency band of the harmonic element needs to be optimized by taking the frequency dependence into consideration to sufficiently reduce the harmonic loss.

In this regard, an object of the invention is to reduce a harmonic loss generated when an alternating current (AC) motor is overmodulation-driven using asynchronous PWM control without increasing the number of times of switching.

The present invention is defined by the independent claim 1, defining a motor control device.

According to the invention, it is possible to reduce a harmonic loss in overmodulation drive of asynchronous PWM control without increasing the number of times of switching. In this way, it is possible to obtain effects such as a high output of an AC motor, miniaturization of a cooling system, etc.

• Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a motor control device in Embodiment 1.
• Fig. 2 is an element diagram of the motor control device.
• Fig. 3A-D illustrates a pulse pattern according to synchronous PWM control of a conventional technology.
• Fig. 4A-C illustrates a pulse pattern corresponding to a case of different modulation according to synchronous PWM control of the conventional technology.
• Fig. 5A-B illustrates a pulse pattern of synchronous PWM control and asynchronous PWM control of the conventional technology.
• Fig. 6 illustrates a loss coefficient.
• Fig. 7 illustrates periodicity of asynchronous PWM control.
• Fig. 8A-C illustrates a pulse pattern of the invention.
• Fig. 9A-B illustrates a restriction on a switching width.
• Fig. 10A-D illustrates an effect of the invention.
• Fig. 11 is a configuration diagram of Embodiment 2.

Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 10A-D and Table 1.

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a motor control device in Embodiment 1. Fig. 2 illustrates elements of a system. In response to pulse voltages (a U-phase pulse voltage Vu, a V-phase pulse voltage Vv, and a W-phase pulse voltage Vw) applied by an inverter 2, a three-phase alternating current (U-phase current Iu, V-phase current Iv, and W-phase current Iw) flows through an AC motor 1, and the AC motor 1 is driven at a drive frequency f. Here, a voltage applied between U and V phases of the AC motor 1 is referred to as a line voltage Vuv.

A carrier wave generator 3 generates a carrier wave Vc* based on a carrier frequency fc. As shown in Fig. 3A, the carrier wave Vc* is a triangular wave having an amplitude 1 (normalized by a half VDC/2 of a direct current (DC) voltage) and a frequency fc.

A signal wave generator 4 generates a signal wave (a U phase signal wave Vu1*, a V-phase signal wave Vv1*, and a W phase signal wave Vw1*) based on a frequency command f1* and a voltage command V1*. The signal wave is a sine wave having a frequency f1* as illustrated in Fig. 3A, and an amplitude thereof is equivalent to the voltage command V1*. The frequency command f1* and the voltage command V1* are determined based on a speed command F* by a V/f controller 8 or a vector controller 9 illustrated in Fig. 2. Here, an amplitude ratio of a signal wave and a carrier wave is referred to as modulation Kh.

An offset quantity calculation unit 5 calculates an offset quantity A* of the signal wave, and outputs the calculated offset quantity A* to an addition unit 6.

The addition unit 6 generates correction signal waves Vu2*, V2*, and Vw2* described below by adding the offset quantity A* to the signal wave.

A PWM generator 7 generates gate signals Gun, Gup, Gvn, Gvp, Gwn, and Gwv by comparing the correction signal waves Vu2*, Vv2*, and Vw2* with the carrier wave, and outputs the generated gate signals to the inverter 2. The inverter 2 performs ON/OFF control of a switching element based on the gate signals, and applies a pulse voltage to the AC motor 1. Hereinafter, a waveform diagram of the pulse voltage will be referred to as a pulse pattern.

Next, a description will be given of an operation principle of PWM control and a harmonic loss corresponding to a problem.

The carrier wave generator 3, the signal wave generator 4, and the PWM generator 7 implement PWM control. PWM control is means for converting a DC voltage VDC to an arbitrary voltage/frequency, and is indispensable for variable speed drive. In PWM control, the switching element is determined to be turned ON/OFF by comparing amplitudes of the signal wave and the carrier wave illustrated in Fig. 3A. For example, when the signal wave is smaller than the carrier wave as illustrated in Fig. 3A, the pulse voltage Vu is turned OFF. When the carrier frequency is sufficiently high, fundamental frequencies and amplitudes of the pulse voltages Vu, Vv, and Vw are equivalent to those of an original signal wave. Therefore, when the pulse voltages Vu, Vv, and Vw are applied to the AC motor 1, the AC motor 1 is driven at a drive frequency f = f1* when the AC motor 1 is a synchronous machine and is driven at f = f1* - fs (fs: slip frequency) when the AC motor 1 is an induction machine. The operation principle of PWM control has been described above.

Next, a description will be given of the harmonic loss corresponding to a problem of PWM control. In PWM control, distortion occurs in the voltage/current in response to an ON/OFF operation of the switching element of the inverter 2. This distortion may be expressed as a harmonic element illustrated in Fig. 3D, which causes a harmonic loss. In particular, it has been known that harmonic elements and harmonic losses remarkably increase in overmodulation drive of asynchronous PWM control.

Overmodulation corresponds to modulation Kh exceeding 1 (p.u.). Fig. 4A-C illustrates pulse patterns in the case of overmodulation and in the case of non-overmodulation. As illustrated in Fig. 4B, in the case of overmodulation, the number of pulses for one period of the fundamental wave is reduced when compared to the case of non-overmodulation since the signal wave is larger than the carrier wave at phases of 90 deg and 270 deg which are peaks thereof, and the pulse voltage is connected. As a result, an effective value of the harmonic element increases and the harmonic loss increases. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 4C, a 7th-order voltage harmonic is 0.105 p.u. in non-overmodulation and is 0.258 p.u. in overmodulation, which is approximately doubled. In addition, a 13th-order voltage harmonic is 0.008 p.u. in non-overmodulation and is 0.291 p.u. in overmodulation, which is approximately 30 times. As described above, overmodulation has a problem that harmonic elements increase.

Asynchronous PWM control is a PWM control scheme of fixing the carrier frequency regardless of the fundamental frequency (drive frequency) of the motor. Meanwhile, synchronous PWM control is a scheme of adjusting the carrier frequency to an integral multiple of a fundamental frequency. Fig. 5A-B illustrates a pulse pattern in the case in which each of asynchronous PWM control and synchronous PWM control is overmodulation-driven. In synchronous PWM control, as illustrated in Fig. 5B, only a high-order harmonic element is present, and any low-order harmonic element is not present since the fundamental wave and the carrier wave are in synchronization, and synchronous PWM control has periodicity based on one period of the fundamental wave. On the other hand, in asynchronous PWM control, a low-order harmonic element is generated since the fundamental wave and the carrier wave are not in synchronization, and a switching phase of the pulse voltage varies for each period of the fundamental wave in asynchronous PWM control, which is referred to as a phase error of the pulse voltage in Patent Document 1. As illustrated in Fig. 5A, the phase error occurs around a phase (0 deg and 180 deg) at which a slope of the signal wave is large. As described above, in asynchronous PWM control, a low-order harmonic element is present to cause a harmonic loss along with a high-order harmonic element.

The harmonic loss is a sum of an eddy current generated in a magnet of the AC motor 1, a hysteresis loss generated in a magnetic steel sheet, etc. These harmonic losses are proportional to a square of a current harmonic In of ( Equation 1) and are proportional to a factorial of a frequency as shown in Table 1. Hence, the harmonic loss Wh is approximated by (Equation 2) using a period T described below.

[Equation 1] $$I_n=\frac{V_n}{Z}=\frac{V_n}{2{\mathit{\pi f}}_1\mathit{Ln}}\propto \frac{V_n}{n}$$ where Z: an impedance of the AC motor 1, L: an inductance of the AC motor 1, Vn: harmonic voltage, n: harmonic order.

[Equation 2] $$W_h={\displaystyle \sum _{\frac{1}{T}<n<H}{I}_n^2{n}^K}\propto {\displaystyle \sum _{\frac{1}{T}<n<H}{V}_n^2{n}^{K-2}}$$ where K: a loss coefficient, H: an upper limit of a harmonic order.

Here, the loss coefficient K is a coefficient that represents a characteristic of the harmonic loss Wh of the AC motor 1. The loss coefficient K is determined as below based on main factors (Table 1) of the harmonic loss of the AC motor 1.

1. (1) K = 0: a case in which there is no frequency dependence, and a copper loss is a main factor
2. (2) K = 1: a case in which a hysteresis loss is a main factor
3. (3) K = 2: a case in which an eddy-current loss is a main factor

As a result, the loss coefficient Kn is a value greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 2, and has a positive correlation as illustrated in Fig. 6. The cause and the characteristic of the harmonic loss corresponding to a problem of PWM control have been described above.

Type Degree of frequency Hysteresis loss of magnetic steel sheet First order Eddy-current loss of magnetic steel sheet Second order Eddy-current loss of magnet Second order

In the present embodiment, the harmonic loss Wh of (Equation 2) is reduced or minimized using the offset calculation unit 5 and the addition unit 6. A principle thereof will be described below.

Since the loss coefficient Kn has a positive correlation, reducing a high-order harmonic voltage Vn is effective in reducing or minimizing the harmonic loss Wh of (Equation 2) even though an increase in a low-order harmonic voltage Vn is permitted. The harmonic voltage Vn is an effective value of the harmonic element determined by the pulse pattern. Since a period of the pulse pattern matches one period of the fundamental wave in synchronous PWM control, the harmonic voltage Vn is calculated on the basis of the one period of the fundamental wave. In asynchronous PWM control, the period of the pulse pattern does not match one period of the fundamental wave and matches a period T corresponding to a least common multiple of a period T1 of a signal wave illustrated in Fig. 7 and a period Tc of the carrier wave, which is expressed by (Equation 3). In the invention, since asynchronous PWM control is treated, the harmonic voltage Vn is calculated based on a period T of (Equation 3).

[Equation 3] $$T=n_1{T}_1=n_2{T}_C$$ where n1 and n2 are integers.

The harmonic voltage Vn depends on a phase αk (hereinafter a switching phase angle αk) at which the pulse voltage switches as shown in (Equation 4). Therefore, a desired harmonic voltage Vn is obtained by adjusting the switching phase angle αk. For this reason, (Equation 2) is substituted into (Equation 4), and obtained (Equation 5) is set as an objective function. The harmonic loss Wh may be reduced or minimized by adjusting the switching phase angle αk such that the objective function is reduced or minimized.

[Equation 4] where N: an upper limit of a harmonic order.

[Equation 5]

According to a principle of PWM control, it is necessary to fix an amplitude V1 and a phase θ1, which are fundamental wave components of the pulse voltage, in adjustment of the switching phase angle αk. The amplitude V1 and θ1 of the fundamental wave may be expressed as shown in (Equation 6) and (Equation 7) using the switching phase angle αk. For this reason, in the invention, it is necessary to set the switching phase angle αk at which (Equation 6) and (Equation 7) are kept constant.

[Equation 6] $$V_1=\frac{2}{\mathit{n\pi }}\sqrt{{\left({\displaystyle \sum _{k=1}^N{\left(-1\right)}^k}\cos {\mathit{n\alpha }}_k\right)}^2+{\left({\displaystyle \sum _{k=1}^N{\left(-1\right)}^k\sin {\mathit{n\alpha }}_k}\right)}^2}$$

[Equation 7] $${\theta }_1={\tan }^{-1}\left(\frac{-{\displaystyle \sum _{k=1}^N{\left(-1\right)}^k\sin {\alpha }_k}}{{\displaystyle \sum _{k=1}^N{\left(-1\right)}^k}\cos {\alpha }_k}\right)$$

In the present embodiment, the offset calculation unit 5 calculates the offset quantity A* to adjust the switching phase angle αk, and the addition unit 6 performs offset correction on the signal wave based thereon. A procedure of this embodiment will be described below.

1. (1) A value of the objective function (Equation 5) is set according to a driving condition of the AC motor 1.
2. (2) The switching phase angle αk is changed.
3. (3) The switching phase angle αk is substituted into (Equation 5) and calculated.
4. (4) A procedure of (2) and (3) is repeated until the value set in item (1) is obtained.
5. (5) The offset quantity A* of the signal wave is calculated based on the switching phase angle αk.
6. (6) Offset correction is performed within one period of the carrier wave including phases 90 deg and 270 deg at which the amplitude of the signal wave peaks and phases 0 deg and 180 deg at which the slope is large (hereinafter a peak phase region and a zero cross phase region) using the offset quantity A* to generate the correction signal waves Vu2*, V2*, and Vw2* illustrated in Fig. 1.
7. (7) A pulse voltage is generated based on the correction signal waves and the carrier wave and applied to the AC motor 1.

A pulse pattern generated by the above procedure is illustrated in Fig. 8A-C. As a result, since the high-order harmonic voltage Vn may be reduced while fixing the fundamental wave component as illustrated in Fig. 8C, the harmonic loss Wh shown in (Equation 2) may be reduced.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the harmonic loss Wh may be reduced or minimized. Hereinafter, the invention will be elaborated.

The whole calculation of the offset quantity A* may not be performed, and a part thereof may be omitted. For example, the offset quantity A* is set to 0 when

1. (1) modulation Kh < 1
2. (2) the carrier frequency fc is synchronized with the fundamental frequency f1
   since the harmonic loss is small in the above cases. A computation load of a microcomputer is reduced by omitting some functions under the above-mentioned conditions.

Fig. 9A-B illustrates a relation between a switching width α' in the zero cross phase region and a switching width α in the peak phase region. From Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B, the switching phase angle αk needs to be set to have a relation of (Equation 8) in order to fix a fundamental wave amplitude A.

[Equation 8] $$\alpha \prime <\alpha$$

Fig. 10A-D illustrates an effect of the present embodiment. In Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B, the harmonic loss Wh may be reduced despite the fact that the harmonic voltage Vn is equal between a conventional scheme and the invention. In addition, in Fig. 10C and Fig. 10D, the harmonic loss Wh may be reduced despite an increase in the effective value of the harmonic voltage Vn.

Fig. 11 is a configuration diagram of Embodiment 2. In the present embodiment, the AC motor 1 of Embodiment 1 is applied to a drive system. In Fig. 11, description of the same parts as those of Embodiment 1 will be omitted. In the present embodiment, the speed command F* may be set by a host device such as a computer 10.

The present embodiment may implement a high-accuracy speed control characteristic.

• 1... AC motor
• 2... inverter
• 3... carrier wave generator
• 4... signal wave generator
• 5... offset quantity calculation unit
• 6... addition unit
• 7... PWM generator
• 8... V/f controller
• 9... vector controller
• 10... computer
• VDC... DC voltage
• Vu, Vv, Vw... U-phase pulse voltage, V-phase pulse voltage, W-phase pulse voltage
• Vu1*, Vv1*, Vw1*... U-phase signal wave, V-phase signal wave, W-phase signal wave
• Vuv... line voltage
• Vu2*, Vv2*, Vw2*... U-phase correction signal wave, V-phase correction signal wave, W-phase correction signal wave
• Vc*... carrier wave
• V1*... voltage command
• Vn... harmonic voltage
• Guu, Gup... U-phase gate signal
• Gvu, Gvp... V-phase gate signal
• Gwu, Gwp... W-phase gate signal
• θ... voltage phase
• F*... speed command
• f1*... frequency command
• f... drive frequency
• fc... carrier wave frequency
• Iu, Iv, Iw... U-phase current, V-phase current, W-phase current
• Tc... carrier wave period
• T1... signal wave period
• T... period corresponding to least common multiple of carrier wave and signal wave
• In... current harmonic
• Z... impedance of AC motor
• L... inductance of AC motor
• K... loss coefficient
• n... harmonic order
• Wh... harmonic loss
• V1... fundamental wave amplitude
• θ1... fundamental wave phase
• A*... offset quantity
• αk... switching phase angle